Editing Mark Critch

{{Short description|Canadian comedian, actor, and writer (born 1974)}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Mark Critch
| image         = Mark Critch 2017 (cropped).jpg
| alt           = 
| caption       = Critch in 2017
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1974|05|14}}
| birth_place   = [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], Canada
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = {{hlist|Comedian|actor}}
| years_active  = 
| known_for     = 
| credits       = ''[[This Hour Has 22 Minutes|22 Minutes]]'' (since 2003)
}}

'''Mark Critch''' (born May 14, 1974) is a Canadian [[comedian]], actor, and writer. He is best known for his work on the comedy series ''[[This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]'', initially as a writer and then as a regular cast member beginning in 2003.

==Family life==
He is the son of Mike Critch, a longtime journalist for radio station [[VOCM (AM)|VOCM]] in [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]], and the younger brother of Mike Critch Jr., a radio DJ for [[VOCM-FM]] who uses the name Mike Campbell on the air.<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/broadcaster-mike-critch-remembered-as-friend-to-all-1.2931654 "Broadcaster Mike Critch remembered as 'friend to all'"]. [[CBC News]] Newfoundland and Labrador, January 26, 2015.</ref>

== Career ==
Critch has been a guest on [[CBC Radio One]]'s ''[[Madly Off in All Directions]]'', the [[CBC Television]] show ''[[Republic of Doyle]]'', and is the host of CBC TV's Halifax Comedy Festival. He performed at the [[Just For Laughs Festival]] in Montreal and the [[Winnipeg Comedy Festival]]. He played the recurring role of Gary Breakfast on the CTV sitcom ''[[Satisfaction (2013 TV Series)|Satisfaction]]''. He appeared in several films, including ''Anchor Zone'', ''Rare Birds'' and ''Above and Beyond''. In 2013, Critch played Henry Tilley in ''[[The Grand Seduction]]'', a remake of [[Jean-François Pouliot]]'s French-Canadian ''La Grande Séduction'' (2003) directed by [[Don McKellar]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike|title=Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch Find 'The Grand Seduction'|url=https://deadline.com/2012/07/brendan-gleeson-taylor-kitsch-find-the-grand-seduction-309740/|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|publisher=[[PMC (company)|PMC]]|access-date=August 25, 2012|date=July 30, 2012}}</ref>  Critch and fellow Newfoundland actor [[Allan Hawco]] featured in a documentary entitled ''Trail of the Caribou'', which followed the [[Royal Newfoundland Regiment|Newfoundland Regiment]]'s journey in the First World War. It was released in 2016 to commemorate the one-hundredth anniversary of the Regiment's tragedy at [[Beaumont-Hamel|Beaumont Hamel]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Trail of the Caribou'|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/trail-of-the-caribou-1.3661371/|work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=May 14, 2018|date=July 1, 2016}}</ref> Critch also appeared in director [[Matt Johnson (director)|Matt Johnson's]] 2023 film ''[[BlackBerry (film)|BlackBerry]]'', portraying [[National Hockey League|NHL]] commissioner [[Gary Bettman]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gentille|first=Sean|title=An interview with the man who plays Gary Bettman in 'BlackBerry'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4535329/2023/05/24/gary-bettman-blackberry/|work=[[The Athletic]]|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|access-date=January 10, 2025|date=May 24, 2023}}</ref>

Critch reached national notoriety after a ''22 Minutes'' piece aired in which Canadian [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) [[Carolyn Parrish]] stepped on a [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]] doll, later causing her to be removed from caucus. He is most famous for his road pieces on the show, in which he accosts celebrities such as [[John Kerry]], [[Michael Douglas]], [[Alec Baldwin]], former Canadian [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Paul Martin]], [[Howard Dean]], [[Avril Lavigne]], [[Hillary Clinton]] and [[Justin Trudeau]]. Critch's impressions are another recurring feature on ''22 Minutes'', including those of [[Donald Trump]], [[Rex Murphy]], [[Don Cherry]] and former Newfoundland and Labrador premier [[Danny Williams (Canadian politician)|Danny Williams]].

== Book and adaptation ==
In 2018, Critch announced the release of his early life memoir, ''Son of a Critch''. Published by [[Penguin Random House]] Canada, it was released on October 2, 2018, and immediately entered the Globe and Mail bestseller list, where it remained for several weeks. ''Son of a Critch'' was the winner of the ''Margaret and John Savage First Book Award (non-fiction)'' at the ''Atlantic Book Awards'', and shortlisted for both the 2019 [[Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour]] and the 2019 [[Kobo Emerging Writer Prize]]. It was also longlisted for the 2019 [[RBC Taylor Prize]]. His second book, ''An Embarrassment of Critches'', was also shortlisted for the [[Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour]] in 2022.

In 2021, CBC Television and [[Lionsgate Films]] announced the production of ''[[Son of a Critch]]'', a television series adaptation of the book.<ref>Greg David, [https://www.tv-eh.com/2021/07/29/cbc-and-lionsgate-reunite-with-andrew-barnsley-and-project-10-for-mark-critchs-original-comedy-son-of-a-critch/ "CBC and Lionsgate reunite with Andrew Barnsley and Project 10 for Mark Critch's original comedy Son of a Critch"]. ''TV, eh?'', July 29, 2021.</ref> Critch plays his father (Mike Critch) in the series, while child actor [[Benjamin Evan Ainsworth]] plays the young Critch.

== Recognition ==
* David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor at the Atlantic Film Festival for his role in ''The Grand Seduction''.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 20, 2013|title=Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch Find 'The Grand Seduction'|url=https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-telegram-st-johns/20130920/281943130575949/|work=[[thetelegram.com]]|publisher=Saltwire|accessdate=May 11, 2018}}</ref>
* Gemini Award<ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=October 25, 2017|title=Mark Critch's Awards|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0188205/awards?ref_=nm_awd/|work=[[IMDb]]|accessdate=May 11, 2018}}</ref>
* Canadian Comedy Award<ref name=":0" />
* Writers Guild of Canada Award<ref name=":0" />

== Charitable work ==
Critch is known in Newfoundland and Labrador for his charitable efforts, including serving as honorary chair of the Victoria Park Foundation in St. John's, and the honorary fundraising patron of the O'Brien's Farm Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|title= CBC News '|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/st-john-s-road-renamed-for-o-brien-farm-as-part-of-restoration-project-1.3287765/|work=[[thetelegram.com]]|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=May 11, 2018|date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> He was named the Honorary Chairperson for the Cancer Society of Canada's "One Night Stand Against Cancer" campaign to raise funds for Nova Scotia's Sobey Cancer Support Centre.<ref>{{cite web|title= Canadian Cancer Society '|url=https://www.cancer.ca/en/about-us/for-media/media-releases/nova-scotia/2018/mark-critch-one-night-stand-against-cancer/?region=ns/|work=[[thetelegram.com]]|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=May 11, 2018|date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> He has hosted and/or spearheaded fundraising campaigns for the Parkinson's Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

On December 7, 2017, the [[Wonderful Grand Band]] released a re-recorded version of Babylon Mall for the 50th anniversary of the Avalon Mall, with Critch on vocals. Proceeds from the song remake were donated to the [[Tommy Sexton]] Centre.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch Find 'The Grand Seduction'|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/babylon-mall-covered-for-avalon-s-50th-s-1.4437039/|work=[[thetelegram.com]]|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=May 11, 2018|date=October 25, 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/personality/mark_critch CBC Biographical Page]
* {{IMDb name|0188205}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Critch, Mark}}
[[Category:CBC Television people]]
[[Category:Writers from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador]]
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:This Hour Has 22 Minutes]]
[[Category:Canadian male film actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male television actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male voice actors]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:Canadian sketch comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Newfoundland and Labrador]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian memoirists]]
[[Category:Comedians from Newfoundland and Labrador]]
[[Category:Canadian male comedians]]
[[Category:Canadian Comedy Award winners]]
[[Category:Canadian Screen Award winning writers]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Newfoundland and Labrador]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian comedians]]